Re: [IPk] Reason for age given

> >2) the child has poorer control. In this case, 10 years or so of poor
> >control can lead to irreversible complications. Having experienced exactly
> >this phenomenon, I know which option I would choose every time.
> >Jeremy claims that 10 years of poor control as a child is unlikely to lead
> >to complications. I would disagree strongly here.
There are several examples of kids with problems that developed
quickly. Two come to mind immediately. A young lady, now a pumper,
who deveolped very leaky kidneys within 3 years of diagnosis (since
reversed with good controle and ace inhibitors) and another young
woman of 20 who has had to undergo laser surgery in both eyes
already. Granted, these are not common epsidoes but they do occur.
The extensive studies done on control vs complication rate is
definitive. Better control reduces all kinds of complications. Sure
there are exceptions, but they are out of the norm. The best proven
way to enhance control with the side effect of a vastly improved
quality of life is CSII using a pump. Statistics show average hbA1c
improvments for pump users of around 1% and much higher for those
with poor control to begin with. It has nothing whatever to do with
age. The notion that children somehow are not affected by poor
control simply because they are young is completely without merit
AND HAS NO STUDIES TO BACK IT UP. What is know is that poor
control in children retards growth as well as normal development.
These affects are small but visible. The side benefit for a child
that manages to aquire pump therapy is that they get their childhood
back instead of the MDI grind. The facts speak for themselves both in
research data as well as ancedotal information.
Michael
email @ redacted
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